Could Cisco Be One Step Closer In Delivering Its Network Intuitive Vision?

It seems that intent-based networks are on the lips of all C-level executives and IT executives these days. This is not necessarily a new concept: it has just been slapped with a new ingenious term of marketing (unlike other technical platforms of the past, I might add). I have written on intention-based networks from various points of view and can read a previous article here, if you are interested. At a high level, the philosophy is to capture and translate business intent, orchestrate network policies for activation, and continually ensure that the network operates according to this "expected" standard. The ultimate goal is to create a network of self-healing: a network that eliminates manual and responsive interventions, and frees IT employees to bring more value to the key businesses they support.

In early summer 2017, Cisco Systems CSCO + 0.34% launched its "Network". Intuitive strategy I must admit that I was a bit skeptical at the time. I had heard a lot about marketing focused on the new business vision, but I did not see much depth in the ad. However, he has advanced only eight months and the company seems to fulfill his vision. Today, Cisco has announced promising new security solutions for the data center, campus and branch.

The network guarantee was the missing link

As previously defined, a network solution based on closed loop intent must offer the three main elements of translation, activation and security. Cisco has provided translation and activation in the past, but security was the missing link (if you're interested in a little more context behind network security, you can read my article on the subject here). With today's announcement, Cisco now offers network security on three fronts:


Cisco Network Assurance Engine visits the data center and continuously checks the entire network infrastructure.
Cisco DNA Center Assurance addresses the campus and branch, providing information and visibility to improve the efficiency of IT staff in wired and wireless networks.
Cisco Meraki Wireless Health focuses on solving wireless problems in distributed computing environments, improving the overall user experience.
The brain behind a smart network

What surprises me most in the Cisco Warranty Announcement is the intelligence behind each of the three key solutions. The Cisco Network Assurance Engine's assurance capabilities are based on a new approach to network mathematical modeling with over 5,000 possible scenarios, derived from Cisco's reserves of approximately 30 years of customer knowledge. Cisco says that it will benefit the customer by predicting the impact of network changes, proactively eliminating audit-related issues, and ensuring that the strategies are aligned with business requirements. Given the depth of Cisco's expertise in the data center, it's a solid bet that the company can achieve on this front.

Cisco DNA Center Assurance provides visibility into the interaction between users and applications, providing historical information and predictive capabilities for campus and branch network operations. With a focus on network isolation, replication, and troubleshooting, Cisco's goal is to change the polarity of reactive network disruption / patch management to proactive, value-added services for your business unit components. . . This high goal has the power to change the C level mindset on network services. Considered "overloaded" in the past, in an intention-based world, networks can become a strategic asset to improve agility in an organization and increase user productivity.

Finally, Meraki Wireless Health is focused on improving the wireless user experience by providing more complete visibility, vision and analysis. With a cloud-based deployment model, the goal is to identify anomalies, automate resolution, and simplify the complexity of one of the most visible complaints of users in any organization. Meraki Wireless Health will be launched later in Cisco's Q1 2018, and at this point, I plan to benchmark its capabilities against other solutions in the market. Cisco Network Assurance Engine and DNA Center Assurance are currently available.

Net (work) smarter not harder

I think the old adage "working smarter is not

That said, with Cisco's global presence, a broad client installation base, and a global approach to network security, I believe the company is well positioned to capitalize and realize its vision of intent-based networks.

Disclosure: my company Moor Insights & Strategy, like all research and analysis companies, provides or has provided research, analysis, consulting and / or consulting services to numerous high tech companies in the sector, including Cisco Systems CSCO + 0.34% or related to this article I do not have any equity positions with any company cited in this column.